News 08:00

BULLETIN 14 November 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# COSATU accuses the government of failing to tackle unemployment
# Sandile Swana questions the future of the ANC under president Ramaphosa and government of national unity
# And, the EU says the ceasefire in Ukraine needs to be priority, not broader security negotiation

# COSATU has accused government of missing an opportunity to take stronger action against unemployment, poverty and weak economic growth. Presenting its submission to Parliament on budget changes, the union federation’s Matthew Parks says unemployment has increased by 2.4 per cent this year. COSATU has welcomed additional funding for infrastructure and health, but says government has failed to provide more money for public employment programmes or extra relief for social grant recipients facing rising living costs:

# Political analyst Sandile Swana has questioned the long-term sustainability of the ANC under President Cyril Ramaphosa, as well as the future of the Government of National Unity. Speaking on the King David Studio Podcast, Swana said senior ANC figures, including chairperson Gwede Mantashe and secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, were losing political relevance. He also warned political contenders in Johannesburg, including DA leader Helen Zille, against allowing personal ambitions to overshadow the interests of the city:

# The South African Communist Party has welcomed a possible ANC decision to exclude the DA from coalition partnerships in hung municipalities. More than 130 councils have no outright majority following the recent local government elections. SACP acting national spokesperson Mhlekwa Nxumalo says the party has long opposed working with the DA because of ideological and class differences. Meanwhile, the Council of the Left, which includes the SACP, EFF, MK Party and Africa Mayibuye Movement, is urging left-wing parties to unite as coalition negotiations continue across the country.

# Parents in the Eastern Cape are being urged to take precautions to protect boys attending summer initiation schools, as hotter and drier conditions are forecast due to El Niño. The warning follows 48 initiation deaths nationwide during the 2025 summer season. Provincial Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesperson Pheello Oliphant has warned against using black plastic to build initiation lodges, as it traps heat. He says parents should ensure initiates drink enough water and regularly check on their health and well-being.

# The European Union’s Foreign Policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has warned that Russia is trying to divert attention from its aggression against Ukraine by raising the issue of European security. Moscow has pushed to re-negotiate Europe’s broader security architecture as part of any peace talks. Following talks in Abu Dhabi this week, US Jared Kushner stated that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to expand the next round of peace negotiations to include the Europeans. Kallas says Europe must not walk into Russian “traps”:

# And finally, some cricket news: The first of two Tests between South Africa and Bangladesh starts at the Wanderers in Johannesburg tomorrow. The series is part of the World Series, where the Proteas, the defending champions, are currently second on the log behind New Zealand, followed by Australia and India, with Bangladesh in fifth position. The Wanderers’ groundsman, Brendon Frost, targets a surface that will benefit the fast bowlers while still allowing a five-day contest. The final Test will start at SuperSport Park in Centurion, Gauteng, on the 23rd of this month.

Stay tuned for more news………….